Microsoft cancels Courier tablet

Microsoft has reportedly cancelled internal work on the tablet, says Gizmodo. Gizmodo had initially revealed the Courier as a project that Microsoft has been working on. The tablet was said to have two screens, fold like a book and include a touchscreen display and a stylus. But the Courier never made it outside the pages of the blog.

Microsoft did not ever publicly announce the device or show it at conferences.

PC makers have offered slates and convertible notebooks for nearly a decade, and they’ve never caught on. But now, a new generation of attractively designed and low-priced screens are looking to lure in consumers. Apple’s iPad is leading this category and Apple has sold more than 500,000 iPads. Meanwhile, other companies such as Dell and HP are working on introducing tablets.

Microsoft’s Courier was never seen as a viable competitor largely because the device never truly went beyond the vapourware stage. Microsoft did not specifically comment about Courier’s future but Frank Shaw, corporate vice president of communications at Microsoft says Courier will have a legacy.

“It’s in Microsoft’s DNA to continually develop and incubate new technologies to foster productivity and creativity,” he said in an emailed statement. “The Courier project is an example of this type of effort and its technologies will be evaluated for use in future Microsoft offerings.”